Editorial: Make the effort to learn about candidates for city offices

By Halifax Media Group

Published: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 08:34 PM.

Municipal elections tend to creep up on voters. And that’s a shame.

Held on odd years — even that expression gives it an unflattering connotation — municipal elections are the breathers between those years when millions of dollars are spent in local, state and national elections for everything from N.C. General Assembly, Congress, U.S. Senate and president. Somewhere in-between are judges, district attorneys and even soil and water conservation district supervisors.

A lot races, a ton of candidates, a dizzying amount of talk and media coverage. An unappetizing stew of partisan posturing is always on the menu.

Races for city and town offices are different. In Craven County all are non-partisan. We see this as a positive for the voting process. After all, voters are required to judge each candidate on his or her own merits without the wingspan of Democratic or Republican philosophies providing cover.

But it does force voters to pay attention, do their homework and brush up on the issues that will define the races and those running for office.

They have about two weeks to do it, before the Oct. 8 election.

Some voters have it pretty easy. In some cities there are no contested seats.

Held on odd years — even that expression gives it an unflattering connotation — municipal elections are the breathers between those years when millions of dollars are spent in local, state and national elections for everything from N.C. General Assembly, Congress, U.S. Senate and president. Somewhere in-between are judges, district attorneys and even soil and water conservation district supervisors.

A lot races, a ton of candidates, a dizzying amount of talk and media coverage. An unappetizing stew of partisan posturing is always on the menu.

Races for city and town offices are different. In Craven County all are non-partisan. We see this as a positive for the voting process. After all, voters are required to judge each candidate on his or her own merits without the wingspan of Democratic or Republican philosophies providing cover.

But it does force voters to pay attention, do their homework and brush up on the issues that will define the races and those running for office.

They have about two weeks to do it, before the Oct. 8 election.

Some voters have it pretty easy. In some cities there are no contested seats.

Things are a little more up in the air, though, in New Bern. There is a hotly contested mayoral race with six candidates.

We urge residents to do themselves and their communities a favor and learn about the candidates and the issues before heading to the polls. Read more about the candidates on the Sun Journal’s website newbernsj.com. Under the News section header look for the Elections 2013 section.